The Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, known as Chatham House, claims to be an objective and independent-minded think tank. It is nothing of the sort, judging by the Vigil’s experience of how it deals with Zimbabwe.

Chatham House misses no opportunity to give a platform for Mugabe’s propaganda. It has been happy to host, among others, the smarmy Zanu PF minister and part-time farm looter Walter Mzembi, who declared that Mugabe was misunderstood. Then there was the British academic Joseph Hanlon who said after an exhaustive few weeks’ research that land reform in Zimbabwe was a success (and that Mugabe was misunderstood). There followed a ZAnu PF business delegation who said, guess what? Mugabe is misunderstood!

Chatham House has just published a long report on Zimbabwe by Knox Chitiyo and Steve Kibble entitled ‘Zimbabwe’s International Re-engagement: The Long Haul to Recovery’. It comes as no surprise to the Vigil, given the involvement of Dr Chitiyo, that the report concludes that Mugabe is misunderstood. Dr Chitiyo is, after all, a former senior lecturer in History and War Studies at the University of Zimbabwe. So he should know.

The report betrays its bias from the outset: ‘A landslide victory by the Zimbabwe African National Union–Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF) in Zimbabwe’s elections in 2013 resulted in its comprehensive recapture of the state. The endorsement of the results by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Marketfor Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the African Union (AU) and the UN confirmed ZANU-PF’s grip on power. It also symbolized Zimbabwe’s re-admittance into the international community . . .’

The Vigil is not sure what the authors mean by ‘confirmed Zanu PF’s grip on power’ – rubber-stamped would be at least more literate. As for the assertion that this so-called endorsement ‘symbolized Zimbabwe’s re-admittance into the international community’ we at the Vigil scratched our heads over this. What on earth does it mean? Have they been welcomed back to the UN? We thought they had never been expelled. Have they been given money by the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund? No they still owe them billions. The short answer is, like so much else in the report, nothing but dubious assertions rather than facts.

Along with Botswana, the Vigil is convinced that the elections were comprehensively rigged and that Zanu PF has no mandate to govern Zimbabwe. Who is Chatham House trying to fool? We hope to have an opportunity to ask them. Chitiyo is to take part in a discussion on the report at Chatham House on 14 May. The Vigil was interested to note that he is to be joined by Dr Miles Tendai, lecturer in African History and Politics at Oxford – conveniently another Zanu PF supporter who also believes that Mr Mugabe is misunderstood. (Attendance is by invitation only. You can apply to go to the meeting through this link: http://www.chathamhouse.org/events/view/199120).

As we mentioned at our last Zimbabwe Action Forum (ZAF) on 12th April, we will be discussing at ZAF on 3rd May forming a steering committee to carry forward the diaspora’s engagement with the emerging new political force in Zimbabwe following the breakup of MDC T.

This meeting will also be discussing sending a delegation to the Home Office about Zimbabwean asylum issues. We are particularly concerned about reports of the bullying attitude of Home Office case workers.

Thanks to Helen Rukimbiro and Fungayi Mabhunu for coming at the start to help set up.

Zimbabwe Action Forum (ZAF). Saturday 3rd May from 6.15 pm.This meeting will discuss sending a delegation to the Home Secretary, Theresa May, to present a petition on the asylum issue. It will also form a steering committee to carry forward the diaspora’s engagement with the emerging new political force in Zimbabwe. Venue: Strand Continental Hotel (first floor lounge), 143 Strand, London WC2R 1JA. From the Vigil it’s about a 10 minute walk, in the direction away from Trafalgar Square. The Strand Continental is situated on the south side of the Strand between Somerset House and the turn off onto Waterloo Bridge. The entrance is marked by a sign at street level. It's between a newsagent and Pizza Express. Nearest underground: Temple (District and Circle lines) and Holborn.

ROHR Executive Meeting. Saturday 3rd May at 12 noon. Venue: Strand Continental Hotel (first floor lounge), 143 Strand, London WC2R 1JA. The Strand is the same road as the Vigil. For directions see ZAF entry above.

Next Swaziland Vigil. Saturday 3rd May from 10 am to 1 pm outside the Swaziland High Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB.

Zimbabwe’s International Re-engagement: The Long Haul to Recovery. Wednesday 14th May from 10 – 11 am. Venue: The Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, 10 St James's Square, London SW1Y 4LE. To register interest in the meeting, check: http://www.chathamhouse.org/events/view/199120.

Zimbabwe Yes We Can meeting. Saturday 17th May at 12 noon. Venue: The Theodore Bullfrog, 26-30 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HL.

The Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s partner organization based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil to have an organization on the ground in Zimbabwe which reflected the Vigil’s mission statement in a practical way. ROHR in the UK actively fundraises through membership subscriptions, events, sales etc to support the activities of ROHR in Zimbabwe. Please note that the official website of ROHR Zimbabwe is http://www.rohrzimbabwe.org/. Any other website claiming to be the official website of ROHR in no way represents the views and opinions of ROHR.